Comeback falls short

Request to buy this photoMike Munden | photos for the dispatchMarion-Franklin’s Jaron Dukes is tackled by Trotwood-Madison’s Mike McCray. Dukes had six catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

Request to buy this photoMike Munden | For the DISPATCHMarion-Franklin quarterback Corry Benson, left, and running back Joe Alverson muff a handoff, one of six turnovers for the Red Devils in the Division II state semifinal.

Request to buy this photoJoe Alverson is consoled by a teammate following Marion-Franklin’s loss that ended the Red Devils’ season in a state semifinal.

CLAYTON, Ohio — Marion-Franklin found so many ways to win close games this season that its players,
coaches and fans almost expected to find another last night.

Trailing Trotwood-Madison by 24 points at halftime in a Division II semifinal at Good Samaritan
Stadium, the Red Devils came back strong before losing 47-44 in a game — and a season — the team
won’t soon forget.

“This is really hard to accept because the kids fought so hard to come back,” coach Brian
Haffele said. “It’s one of those games where I’m going to kick myself wondering ‘what if’ about six
different ways.

“I know a lot of people thought they’d bury us, and I’m so proud of the way the kids battled
back. That rally personified the personality of this team. Unfortunately, we came up just a little
short. This should have been the state title game.”

Runner-up in 2010, Trotwood-Madison (14-0) will face Avon (13-1) — a 43-20 winner over Aurora
last night — for the championship on Friday at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

“I’m just thankful that we’re moving on,” Rams coach Maurice Douglas said. “I don’t know if we
got lax at halftime or what it was, but we didn’t perform the way we’re capable of in the second
half. Both teams had their ups and downs during the course of the game, and we’re just fortunate to
have made a play or two more.”

The “what ifs” on Haffele’s mind probably will gnaw at the Red Devils (13-1) throughout the
winter. Marion-Franklin outgained Trotwood-Madison in total yards 611-357 but committed six
turnovers — five in the first half.

“That’s on me,” said quarterback Corry Benson, who was intercepted three times and was part of
two fumbled handoff exchanges. “You can’t expect to win against such a powerful team with that many
turnovers. We proved to people, though, that we’ve got some playmakers, too.”

The Red Devils’ comeback took form late in the third quarter. On a fake punt, Darian Williams
passed downfield to DaShawn Thorpe, who raced 79 yards to the 1-yard line, where Benson scored,
then passed to Joe Alverson for the two-point conversion to make it 40-24.

“We’d been working on that play in practice all year, and when the time finally came to use it,
everything came off perfectly,” Williams said.

In the final minute of the third quarter, Taimere Fambro intercepted Trotwood-Madison
quarterback Michael Simpson on a long pass. On the next play, Benson connected with Jaron Dukes on
an 85-yard touchdown pass. Alverson’s two-point run cut the deficit to 40-32.

Andrew Summers intercepted Simpson on the next series, and the Red Devils responded again, as
Benson found Williams on a 17-yard TD pass. This time, though, the two-point pass failed.

An errant snap over the punter’s head put the Red Devils in position to take the lead with 7:11
left. Later, facing fourth-and-22 at the Trotwood-Madison 25 and having no field-goal kicker,
Marion-Franklin pulled another flea-flicker out of the playbook.

Alverson took a handoff on a sweep and tried to pass to Benson running to the end zone. But
Trotwood-Madison’s Cameron Burrows intercepted the pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown
with 4:17 left. Burrows was penalized for excessive celebration, forcing kicker Eric Cosby to
attempt a 35-yard extra point, which he made for a two-possession lead at 47-38.

“That’s the game right there,” Haffele said. “They scored on two pick-sixes, and the extra point
made it really tough.”

Marion-Franklin drove 75 yards for another score, with Benson passing to Alverson for a 28-yard
TD with 2:53 left. The two-point conversion pass failed, keeping it at 47-44.

The Red Devils were unable to recover the ensuing onside kick, but held on defense and got the
ball at its own 3 with 30 seconds to go. There was no magic left, as two final flea-flicker
attempts went awry.

Benson passed for 317 yards and three scores and ran for 87 yards and another TD. Dukes (six
catches, 173 yards, two TDs) and Alverson (seven catches, 105 yards) had tremendous
performances.

“It’s tough to lose when you come from so far behind,” defensive lineman Terrell Jackson said, “
but I can walk off the field with my head held high knowing that we fought to the end. I couldn’t
be prouder of these guys.”